Utah Gov. Cox under fire for using military cemetery photo with Trump in email

SALT LAKE CITY (AP) — Utah Republican Governor Spencer Cox faced backlash Wednesday following a campaign email that featured a photo of him alongside Donald Trump at Arlington National Cemetery during a wreath-laying ceremony.

Federal regulations strictly forbid campaign-related activities within Army National Military Cemeteries. Arlington National Cemetery reiterated this point on Wednesday, making it clear that the prohibition is well-known and was highlighted prior to the ceremony held on Monday.

The governor’s campaign issued an apology for utilizing the photo and for politicizing a solemn event that paid tribute to Sgt. Darin Taylor Hoover from Utah, one of the 13 service members who lost their lives during the Afghanistan conflict three years ago. The email was meant to solicit donations for Cox’s reelection campaign.

In a post on X, the platform formerly known as Twitter, the governor stated, “This was not a campaign event and was never intended to be used by the campaign. It did not go through the proper channels and should not have been sent.”

Meanwhile, Trump’s campaign also encountered criticism after an incident involving his staff and cemetery workers. Reports indicate that the Trump campaign received a warning against taking photographs before the altercation during the same wreath-laying ceremony dedicated to service members who died during the withdrawal from Afghanistan, according to a defense official who spoke to The Associated Press.

Looking ahead to November, Cox is anticipated to win reelection comfortably in the predominantly Republican state, especially after defeating his primary challenger, Phil Lyman, who had expressed false claims of election fraud surrounding the 2020 presidential election.

Recently, in a surprising move, Cox extended his support for Trump following a July assassination attempt on the former president. This endorsement came after he previously stated on CNN that he had not voted for Trump in either 2016 or 2020 and would not support him in the upcoming election. Cox’s abrupt alignment with Trump, who has yet to endorse him in return, marks a significant shift from his previously managed image as a moderate, akin to Mitt Romney.

Cox’s actions have not gone unnoticed, leading to a chorus of critique, particularly in the comments section of his social media posts. Democratic state Rep. Brian King, who is set to compete against Cox in the upcoming election, condemned their participation in a veterans’ memorial event for campaigning purposes. He urged the governor to retract his endorsement of Trump.

This controversy highlights the delicate balance politicians must navigate in honoring the sacrifices of service members while also engaging in the often contentious world of electoral politics.